In sales training you often here the term ‘proven sales process’ bandied about. It is worthwhile taking a little time to examine exactly what is meant by that term.

Clearly proven means tried and tested. In other words you should be doing things in a way that has already been proven successful. You don’t have to keep reinventing the wheel. The only way to know if something works is to test and measure the results. Whilst measurement of anything can prove difficult, in sales the way to measure success is simple. Was a sale made, and how much was it worth?

Process means a series of actions directed towards a specific aim. In this case the aim is stated very simply. Sell! Think about your processes. How are leads generated? Who makes the initial contact and how is that contact made? As with all business practices, one should document the process as fully as possible.

Once you have documented the process, you can work out which specific areas require training. Make sure every member of the sales team understands the full process even if they only deal with one aspect, such as generating leads.

Constantly update the processes as a habitual part of training and development.